1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to machine supports specifically for leveling and fastening a mechanical apparatus to its support frame and/or to the floor.
2. Description of Prior Art
Leveling of a machine component, base plate and frame becomes necessary if they are to be attached to an imperfect mounting surface and in those circumstances where such items are required to maintain precise relationship with other items or the world. The leveling of such items has been accomplished in various ways. One common procedure is to use spacers and/or shims between the mounting element and the mounting surface. It is however, a time consuming process to provide shims or spacers of proper thickness. Moreover, once the leveled portion of the machine is disassembled, shims and spacers of various height may be lost or mixed up. In such a case, this releveling becomes necessary. A second problem results from the fact that when one surface of a spacer make full contact with either the mounting element or the mounting surface, the other surface seldom makes full contact with its mating surface due to imperfections in construction and the very nature of this leveling method. This leads to unstability and consequent wear or deformation.
Prior hereto, inventors have created several types of leveling devices which do not require shims and spacers of various thicknesses while providing full complementary contact. U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,075 to Freeman (Apr. 8, 1991), and U.S. Pat. No. 4,061,298 to Kober (Jan. 12, 1977) are good examples. Other examples include commercially sold "leveling pads" by Jergens, Inc. 19520 Nottingham Rd., Cleveland Ohio 44110 and Vlier Enerpac 233 Valley Street, Burbank, Calif. 91505. Although all of them provide height adjustment capability without use of shims or spacers and adequate surface contacts, such leveling devices have a number of disadvantages, specifically:
(A) A lock nut and a part of the threaded portion of the rod must extend beyond the surface of the mounting dement. This is generally disadvantageous especially when the mounting dement is a base plate where many components are mounted on top of it. Location of the leveling device becomes a problem in order that any projecting element not obstruct the path of a moving part. PA1 (B) One common solution to the above is to place the lock nut on the underside of the mounting element and maintain the end of threaded rod within the thickness of mounting dement. This solution creates other problems of accessibility to the lock nut and ease of adjustment. PA1 (C) In some situations, it is not practical to have mounting holes located prior to machine placement. The usual procedure is to position the machine, then transfer the hole locations to the mounting surface. Since all known prior art devices do not permit the installation from the top through the hole in the mounting element, the machines have to be removed after marking in order to drill and to tap a thread, thereby resulting in waste of both effort and time. PA1 (D) U.S. Pat. No. 15,104,075 to Freeman (Apr. 8, 1991), and the commercial products mentioned earlier are not suited for hanging applications where the machine is suspended from an upper surface. Those leveling devices are of a construction such that enough material cannot be allocated to prevent the possibility of pull out. PA1 (A) To provide a leveling device where neither the lock nut nor any part of the threaded portion of the rod extend upward from mounting element. PA1 (B) To provide a leveling device which can be adjusted and locked easily from the top. PA1 (C) To provide a leveling device which will facilitate installation, including the drilling and tapping of threads after the machine is properly located. PA1 (D) to provide a leveling device which will function equally well when inverted so that the machine is suspended from an upper surface.